Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an animal enclosure and more particularly relates to a safe and convenient temporary enclosure for pets.
Description of the Related Art
Pet ownership is a substantial feature of life in America and other countries throughout the world. According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association [AVMA] 36.5% of American households own dogs, for a total of 69/926,000 dogs in 43,346,000 households. Yet people, including pet owners, are increasingly mobile, and may spend less time at home than ever. Adults work, often long hours, eat out, attend meetings, conventions, concerts, movies, amusement parks, and other entertainments, and travel for work and pleasure. Nevertheless, most stores, restaurants, theaters, bars, concert halls, conventions, amusement parks, and other venues admit only trained and registered service animals. And according to Angie's List dog owners can expect to pay from $240 to $550 per month for day care and boarding can range from $20.00 to $90.00 per night. Even then, not all of the services are satisfactory or safe for the pet and daycare or boarding facilities are typically not located sufficiently close to activity venues to be practical for brief errands.
Therefore, pet owners who need or desire to bring their animals on errands and outings too often leave the animal alone in the parked car. According to the AVMA hundreds of animals die of heat exhaustion in parked cars every year. On a 70-degree sunny day, the temperature inside a car can reach 104 degrees within half an hour. After an hour, it can climb to 113 degrees. Temperatures can increase 40 degrees within an hour, and partially opening the windows makes little difference. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when a car is parked in direct sunlight with outside temperatures of from 80 to 100 degrees the interior temperature can quickly reach between 130 and 172 degrees.
Michael Dix DVM, Medical Director, Best Friends Animal Society cautions pet owners, “Never leave your pet in a parked car when the outside temperature is above 70 degrees. Not even with the windows partway down, not even in the shade, not even for a quick errand. Dogs and cats can't sweat like humans, so they pant to lower their body temperature. If they're inside a car, recycling very hot air, panting gives no relief, and heat stroke can happen quickly”. Jules Benson, DVM, Medical Director, Pet Plan Pet Insurance adds that “Heat stroke can permanently damage a pet's health very rapidly. The change of only a few degrees to a dog's normal body temperature can quickly result in coma, organ dysfunction, permanent brain damage or even death”. Such a death involves suffering almost too harrowing to describe for a captive, helpless animal with no recourse for help and no avenue of escape.
Moreover, as of 2015 19 states (AZ, CA, DE, IL, ME, MD, MN, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, RI, SD, TN, VT, WA, and WV) have statutes specifically prohibiting leaving an animal confined in a vehicle. Various local ordinances exist as well. So in addition to endangering an animal's life or health, a pet owner may run afoul of the law by simply jumping out to run a quick errand while leaving the animal in the car. Yet many pet owners do not have the option of a fenced yard and doggie door combination. Professional dog walkers may be expensive or unreliable and many pet owners do not have family or friends willing and able to take on the task. So a working pet owner, or one taking a vacation or going to errands or outings during the day, often has no practical alternative to leaving the pet alone at home or in a hotel. Indoors the pet cannot relieve itself for hours, and additionally may be crated for safety and control where it can neither exercise nor relieve itself. Veterinarians advise against confining a dog without a chance to relieve itself for more than about four to six hours during the day. Small pets can sometimes be taught to use a potty pad in the house but this is impractical for larger pets. Furthermore, dogs are social animals that need human interaction and are ill adapted to spending long periods alone.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method for an animal enclosure that can offer safe, humane, comfortable, convenient, and cost effective short-term animal care. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would allow pet owners the freedom to include pets in appropriate activities and leave them safely during other activities. With such an apparatus, system, and method pet owners could house pets close to the workplace or other venues and interact with the animal during lunch and other breaks during the day. Additionally, pet owners could travel with their pets using a combination of pet friendly lodging and acceptable short-term housing during meetings and activities.